Damn. You sound like a homeowner - did you buy a house???

Ya, I did something really crazy and bought a house.
Its actually in good shape just a couple bugaboos here and there.....so far.

Jeff,
Whats wrong with using single strand house wiring on the boat? If I solder all the connections and wrap lots of electrical tape I should be good, right?

Karl,

Soldering wires in a home enviroment will cause a couple of things:
1. A fire traced back to that point in the wiring (or as a cause of it), will result in the denial of an insurance claim.
2. Your local building code will be violated and could cause a problem with the sale of the home.

You definitely would want to make the connection using code approved methods:
- use a 2 x 3 utility box (for 2 or 3 romex cables entering the box - 4x4 if more than that) firmly attached
to a support of some sort (stud/joist) (with romex strain reliefs where the wire(s) enter the box.
- a "blank" cover over the face of the box.
- wire nuts appropriate for the wires being used (ie. number of wires and size - there's a limit each type of
nut can technically handle.)
--> These should be as snuggily tightened around the wires being connected as possible AND with
electricians tape wrapped around the nut and extending down to and around the wires being
connected.
- keep a means of access to the box in place. Drywalling over the box would be a no-no. You'd have to
have a door/panel so it can be accessed/inspected.

** Local codes might require other / different set up.

As to the boat, the vibration experienced in the boat can cause a failure of a soldered joint in a solid wire connection. I believe that it's also against marine code (and would also cause the insurance claim to go belly up).

Bill

They fell for it...hook, line, and sinker

Looks like Karl ran across some shade tree electrical work in his new house

Way to keep us entertained during this boring winter Karl


ps. My house was built in 1960. All the electrical connections are twisted together with electrical tape around the connection...thats all...no wire nuts back then I guess. Some have a crimp collar holding them together. I haven't put wire nuts on...I guess they've worked this long...so....

I thought they only did work like here in Ten Mile. Must be related; branch kin ?
Mark

I've been reading this thread in some puzzlement. Soldering wires is MUCH more trouble than terminating according to code. Why would anyone do it? And, we all should heed what Bill says about insurance companies denying claims if code is violated, for houses and boats both.

Insurance companies are really lax about inspecting the stuff they insure - for a boat, any old survey is enough, same for a house.

It's when there is a large claim that they will take the place apart and use a microscope to find violations, and disallow the claim if they find anything vaguely related.

I have a friend who uses my old house in Cape Canaveral as his car insurance address, to escape the much higher rates in West Palm Beach, where he lives. I keep telling him that, if he has a claim, it will be trivial for the insurance co. to prove that he doesn't live in Cape Canaveral, and pay nothing. But he keeps doing it.

I had another friend who investigated disability claims, usually about 18 months after they were granted. He would stake out and get some nice telephoto video of some "disabled" guy climbing a ladder to his roof with a box of shingles over his shoulder, and POOF there goes the disability pension. The insurance company paid him a percentage of what they saved. Enough for a house on the water, Mercedes, boat, vacations in Tahiti, and don't get me started on his wife....

>> They fell for it...hook, line, and sinker

Good thing the "Admiral" got me a new tackle box for Christmas! (seriously!)

I stand corrected, er, slightly embarrased....
Bill

Soldering would create an electrical contact that water could not get into.
An old helo mechanic marine told me that soldering was not allowed for the same reasons mentioned above.
It seems that if the wires were properly supported that they would not be vibrating, but I'm sure the insurance company would not see it that way becasue here on page 29, paragraph 12 it says....

I hope that isn't boat wiring I'm looking at a few posts north.

Also MARINE stranded wire has more finer wires than house stranded wires.

Karl, as a master electrician. I'd say what you did was better than what you had, but.....The wire should stick out 6" out of the box and wire nuts work much better if they are twisted until the wire beyond the nut is twisted, also (this is what the inspectors look for). I find it easiest to use linemans pliers when doing #12 wire or larger wire, as it increases the amount of torque you can apply easily on it. Plus, make sure it has a cover on it when you're done, remember code is all about fire prevention. IT IS YOUR FRIEND! JAM